Flexible electrode



(No Model.)

G. n. BURTON 851;. E. ANGELL.

FLEXIBLE ELECTRODE.

Patented May l7, 1892.

FIG

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. BURTON, OF BOSTON, AND EDWIN E. ANGELL, OF SOMERVILLE,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE ELECTRICAL FORGING COMPANY, OF MAINE.

FLEXIB LE ELECT RO D E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,191, dated May 17,1892.

Application filed June 26, 1891- Serial 110397.645. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: per, or other suitable highlyconductivemate- Be it known that we, GEORGE D. BURTON, rial,and theplates maybe composed of copper residing at Boston, in the county ofSuffolk, or of steel, or of other suitable flexible conand EDWIN E.ANGELL, residing at Somerville, ductive material. The frame and thebowed in the county of Middlesex, State of Massaplates are preferably soproportioned as to be chusetts, citizens of the United States, haveequal in conductivity. The frame 11 is proinvented certain new anduseful Improvevided with an arm 13, connected to the cenments inFlexible Electrodes for Electric tral cross-bar of said frame. Thisframemay Heaters, of which the following is a specifibe provided with aninsulated handle 14, as IO cation. shown in Fig.

This invention relates to flexible electrodes Two of these flexibleelectrodes disposed for electric heaters for heating bars or blanks oneabove the other constitute an electrical of metal or metal tools to beforged or temheater or forge, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The pered. lowerelectrode rests upon a suitable movable The object of this invention isto provide support 21, and the upper electrode may be an electrode forthis purpose which willyield pressed against the bar to be heated by theto the irregularities of the article to be heated hand of the operatorupon the insulated hanand conform somewhat to the shape thereof, die 14,or this electrode may be clamped in so as to enlarge or diminish, asdesired, the the forked outer end of a fixed arm 30, and 20contact-surface, and secure a good contact bethereby held in contactwith the bar or blank. tween the electrode and the blank.- The lowerelectrode 20 is preferably similar Another object of the invention is toproin general construction and arrangement to Vide an electrode, whichis free to be moved the upper electrode, although it maybe rigid in anydirection by the operator, so that it and of any suitable construction,and it is con- 2 5 may be placed in contact with any part of the nectcdby a Wire or other flexible conductor article to be heated. 40 with thepositive ring 41 of an electric con- In the drawings, Figure 1representsa perverter or other source of a heating-current, spectiveview of this improved flexible elec and the upper electrode is connectedby a trode,connected with oneof therings of an elecsimilar flexibleconductor 42 with a negative 0 trio-current converter. Fig. 2 representsin ring l3 of said converter. These conductors 8o diagram an electricforge,provided with these are to be made of large size or of metal ofimproved electrodes in connection with the great conductivity inproportion to the bars rings of an electric converter, a forge, feedtobe worked. rolls, and a bar of metal to be heated and A pair offeed-rolls 50 may be disposed on 5 forged. Fig. 3 represents a sideelevation of one side of the electric forge and an anvil 60 an electricforge consisting of two of these oraforging-machine maybe disposed inproxflcxible electrodes, having flat contact-plates imity to said forgeon the other side thereof. in contact with the bar to be heated. Fig. 4In the use of this improved electrode it is represents an end View ofthese improved pressed into contact with the bar or blank 0 electrodesin contact with a round bar to be 100 or other article to be heated,andthe area heated. Fig. 5 is a modification of the elecof contact isincreased or diminished accordtrode, as hereinafter described. ing tothe degree of pressure applied, and Similar numerals of referenceindioate corthe contact-surface adjusts itself to the shape respondingparts in the different figures. or irregularities of the article to beheated,

45 This improved electrode 10 comprises a the series of platesimpartingfiexibility while 5 frame 11 and a series of flexible bowedconaffording ample capacity for the passage of tact-plates 12, connectedat their opposite the current without overheating the elecends to theend cross-bars of said frame. trode. The currentpassesfrom one electrodeThese plates may be flat, concave, or convex to the other through thebar or blank and 50 longitudinally. Theframeis composed of coptherebyheats it.

By the use of this apparatus we are enabled to produce a greater or lessdegree of heat in the bar 100 in a given time, because as thecontact-surface of the electrodes is increased by pressure moving themagainst the bar the resistance is diminished and the heating of the barwill be slower. Also, if one electrode be pressed against the bar whilethe other remains stationary the heating on that side of the bar will bereduced in proportion to that on the side of the stationary electrode.It is evident that this willafford great convenience in altering orregulating the heat 'in differentportions of the bar preparatory toforging or shaping it. For illustration, suppose a rectangular bar wereintended to be forged round on one side while the other remained flat.Then the side to be rounded would be given the most heating by themanipulation of the electrodes, and the heating be thus localized in thepart of the bar where it was most needed.

We do not intend to limit our invention to the precise form of electrodeabove described, as we may Vary it quite widely therefrom, so as toproduce the greater heating of the bar 100 on one side than on theother, as described. For example, some of the bowed contact-plates onthe frame 11 may be bent or curved down lower than the others Where theymake contact with the bar 100, so that the pressure on the electrodeshall press these upward and bring additional or other spring surfacesinto electrical contact with the bar and so increase the contact-surfaceon the latter. This modification is shown in Fig. 5, where the plate 12is bowed farther out than the plate 12, so that pressure upon theelectrode will bring the latter into contact with the bar last.

lVhat we claim as new and of our invention 1. An electrode for anelectric heater, consisting of a frame and a series of superposedflexible elastic bowed contact-plates connected at their opposite endsto said frame.

2. An electrode for an electric heater, consisting of aframeand aseriesof elastic bowed contact-plates connected at theiropposite ends to saidframe and disposed side byside therein.

3. An electrode for an electric heater, consisting of a frame and aseries of superposed elastic bowed contact-plates connected at theiropposite ends to said frame.

4. An electrode for an electric heater, composed of a frame and two ormore sets of elastic bowed contact-plates connected at their oppositeends to said frame, said sets being disposed side by side in the frame.

5. In an electric heater, the combination of an electrode connected withone electric pole, at free electrode consisting of a frame and a seriesof elastic bowed contact-plates connected at their opposite ends to saidframe, and a flexible conductor for connecting said free electrode withthe other electric pole.

G. In an electric heater, the combination of an electrode connected withone electric pole, a free electrode consisting of a frame and a seriesof superposed elastic bowed contactplates connected at their oppositeends to said frame, and a flexible conductor for connecting said freeelectrode with the other electric pole.

GEO. D. BURTON, EDWIN E. ANGELL. Witnesses:

E. F. PHILIPSON, CHESTER MARE.

